3 d. ago Vietnam bride gets lavish dowry of 100 civet cats worth US$70,000 to create income

A Vietnamese woman who received a lavish dowry from her parents of 100 civet cats, gold bars, cash, company shares and several high-value properties has shocked social media. The unidentified 22-year-old comes from southwestern Vietnam and was married last May. As part of her dowry, her parents gave her 100 female civet cats, all capable of breeding, with an estimated total value of 1.8 billion Vietnamese dong (US$70,000). It also included 25 taels of gold, 500 million dong (US$20,000) in cash,...

Politics

4 d. ago Robo financial adviser Syfe bolsters Hong Kong expansion after new funding round

Syfe, a Singapore-based robo financial adviser and digital investment platform operator, has raised US$80 million in its Series C funding round, as the company pushes to expand its wealth management product offerings in Hong Kong. This round includes new all-equity financing worth US$53 million at a significantly higher valuation, according to the fintech start-up’s statement on Thursday. The latest financing brings the company’s total funding to US$132 million since it was founded in 2019. Syfe...

Politics

4 d. ago Fintech startup Syfe bolsters Hong Kong expansion after new funding round

Syfe, a Singapore-based digital investment platform operator, has raised US$80 million in its Series C funding round, as the company pushes to expand its wealth management product offerings in Hong Kong. This round includes new all-equity financing worth US$53 million at a significantly higher valuation, according to the fintech start-up’s statement on Thursday. The latest financing brings the company’s total funding to US$132 million since it was founded in 2019. Syfe founder and CEO Dhruv...

Politics

6 d. ago Malaysia goes after US$178 million in London assets tied to Daim’s widow

Malaysia has launched efforts to freeze assets in London – including bank accounts and prime real estate valued at £132 million (US$178 million) – linked to the widow of the late tycoon Daim Zainuddin, according to anti-graft authorities. The process – which will ultimately need to be executed by authorities in the United Kingdom – is part of a widening embezzlement probe into his family’s wealth. Daim, who died last November aged 86, was a key ally of former prime minister Mahathir Mohamad and...

Economics

8 d. ago China boosts Southeast Asian populations overlooked in Human Genome Project

For more than two decades, the Human Genome Project (HGP) – a landmark scientific endeavour led by Western nations – mapped humanity’s genetic blueprint, yet the rich diversity of Southeast Asia was overlooked. Despite being home to nearly 300 million people, including the world’s largest indigenous population, mainland Southeast Asia (MSEA) contributed a mere 1.57 per cent to global genomic databases, with most data derived from diaspora communities rather than local populations. Chinese...

Politics

1 week ago Host China offers Pacific nations more climate change help in high

Beijing has pledged to expand its support for Pacific Island countries in building climate resilience, and to continue law enforcement cooperation in the region, during high-level talks in the coastal city of Xiamen in southeastern China’s Fujian province on Wednesday. Top diplomat Wang Yi made the commitment, which included US$2 million for the climate change fund, at the third foreign ministers’ meeting between China and Pacific Island states. It was also the first in-person gathering since...

Politics

1 week ago China pledges deeper law enforcement ties with Pacific Island nations

Beijing has pledged to expand its support for Pacific Island countries in building climate resilience, and to continue law enforcement cooperation in the region, during high-level talks in the coastal city of Xiamen in southeastern China’s Fujian province on Wednesday. Foreign Minister Wang Yi made the commitment, which included US$2 million for the climate change fund, at the third foreign ministers’ meeting between China and Pacific Island states. It was also the first in-person gathering...

Events

1 week ago Hong Kong police receive over 40 reports of scams on Carousell in a week

Hong Kong police have received over 40 online shopping scam reports on e-commerce platform Carousell in the past week, with fraudsters using phishing links to swindle victims of HK$4.6 million (US$586,900), including one vendor who lost nearly HK$650,000 while trying to sell throat lozenges. The force on Wednesday said a local woman who sold throat lozenges on Carousell became a target when a scammer contacted her via WhatsApp. The buyer requested the seller’s email address for payment. The...

Events

3 w. ago US aid cuts leave food for millions, including biscuits, grains, oil, decaying in warehouses

Vital items for hungry people in need have been stuck inside US government warehouses since January’s decision to cut global aid programmes, sources say.

Society

3 w. ago Kardashian relives Paris heist horror in dramatic court testimony: ‘thought I was going to die’

Kim Kardashian tearfully recounted a 2016 Paris heist, where robbers stole jewels worth millions, including her US$4 million engagement ring.

Events